The TAC Center for Clergy Excellence in conjunction with Wespath and OneExchange will be holding meetings in various locations throughout the conference the week of August 22 – 24, 2017 to provide additional information regarding the move to OneExchange for Retiree Health Insurance coverage effective January 1, 2018.

The schedule for these meetings can be accessed at the link above. All Medicare Primary retirees, spouses and surviving spouses, as well as any interested family members, are encouraged to attend to learn about this change and answer questions you may have. These workshops will provide more detailed information about the actual OneExchange enrollment process than the meetings held earlier in March of this year. Please plan to attend one session and include anyone who may assist with financial or medical decision-making. Representatives from both OneExchange and the conference office will be onsite to answer questions.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Texas Annual Conference at the recommendation of the Group Health Benefits Committee and Wespath (formerly the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits) voted to approve utilizing the services of OneExchange, a private insurance exchange which will provide access to a large number of Medicare Supplement (also called Medigap), Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug, Dental and Vision Plans, as an effective and sustainable alternative to our increasingly costly TAC Retiree Group Health plans. Wespath has assisted twenty other annual conferences with similar Retiree Group Health issues in moving to OneExchange with great success.

Thus, the current TAC Retiree Group Health Plans (the Humana Medicare Advantage Plan, the UnitedHealthcare Senior Supplement and Prescription Drug Plan, and the Taxable Stipend) will terminate as of December 31, 2017. All eligible TAC Medicare Primary Retirees, Spouses and Surviving Spouses will enroll in a health insurance plan through OneExchange effective January 1, 2018.

In addition, if you are a TAC Medicare Primary Retiree, Spouse or Surviving Spouse currently enrolled in a TAC dental or vision plan, your TAC dental and vision coverage will also terminate as of 12/31/2017. You may enroll in a dental or vision plan offered through OneExchange effective January 1, 2018, even if you are not currently enrolled in a TAC dental or vision plan.

District meetings were held during the week of March 20, 2017 to explain the transition to OneExchange. For those who were not able to attend, one of the meetings was videotaped and is available for viewing at http://www.txcumc.org/oevids.

OneExchange will be conducting additional information sessions in September 2017.Notices will be mailed to all TAC Medicare Primary GHB participants regarding the fall meeting schedule.OneExchange Licensed Benefit Advisors will work individually with each TAC Retiree, Spouse and Surviving Spouse or their authorized representative starting in October to enroll them in a new health insurance plan effective January 1, 2018.

The TAC GHB is offering an optional new Teladoc® benefit in 2017 at no cost for Standard PPO Plan participants (High Deductible Plan participants pay $45 per visit subject to deductibles and co-insurance). Teladoc® gives you 24/7/365 access to a board certified Internal Medicine, Pediatric or Family Practice physician through the convenience of a phone consultation (video consult is not currently available in Texas). Teladoc® doctors can treat many medical conditions such as cold and flu symptoms, allergies, bronchitis, skin problems, respiratory infections, and sinus problems among others, and can prescribe medications for short-term conditions. Teladoc® ID cards were mailed to participants in January. Go online to www.Teladoc.com for more information and to set up your account.